New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-22
THE MYSTERIOUS THISTLE.
LIGHT WANTED ON HER DIMENSIONS.
IF CERTAIN REPORTS ARE TRUF, THE CUP IS HERS
YACHTsMEN NOT GOING TO halifax.


cable dispatches and letters transmitted to the
newspapers in this country about the Scotch yacht
Thistle, which will be here in September TO have
a tusse with the Yankee flyers for the Am9ricas
Cup, 1t is, nevertheless, fact that little more Is
known now of her Dimensions and the important
features OF her construction than James Bell, her
chief owner chose to give when he forwarded MS
formal challenge to the New York Yacht CLUB. Al
though Mr. Bell has frequently been quoted as say
ing that he had no desire to keep from tho public
any information about the boat il is apparent from
the he has pursued that il he said what was
attributed to him, he did not mean it, for certainly
there has been no lack OF effort TO obtain all posi-
BILE particulars. How the secrecy, which began 10
manifest itself even before the plans were drawn,
has been maintained so long, is mystery, and Why
even when the yacht may be seen almost daily I'M
der sail. no more minute particulars of her can be
obtained, is unaccountable.
What is really known here about the Scotch won
der is that she is 50 feet long at the waterine that
her extreme breadth of beam is 203 feet. the depth
Of hold al feet tonnage 100 tons and length for
customs measurement 0S feet The area of her
midship section. her draught, the lengths of her
spars and the sizes of her sails still matters for
conjecture. All accounts seem to agree that she
carries an immense spread of canvas, but just how
The Boston Herald recently published a cut of the
boat under sail, which is alleged to have been fur
nlshed by George l.. Watson, her designer. If the
proportions of the picture at all accurate there
can be no doubt that she is capable Of catching
wind aOft than any sloop in the American
fleet. BY calculating the scale Of the drawing from
the water-ne length, which is known to be So feet,
and applying il to the other parts it is found That
the cut represents her length over all to be III
feet: mast, from deck TO hounds rs feet; mast
head Il feet topmast. from fd to truck, "A feet;
extreme length Of mast from deck to cap OF topmast,
1873 feet; boom, so feet; gaf. 81 feet bowsprit
outboard. 81 feet; topsaii yard, 6S feet ard jack
yard AZ feet. As near as can be figured, the main
sail has an area of 1900 square feet, and the club
topsai about 5000 square feet.
1t does not seem likely that these figures are ac-
CITRATE but If they even approximately so. the
Thistle is indeed n giant. The extreme length OF
the Mayhower's sticks from deck to topmast head
Is 100 feetor % feet less than the corresponding
spars in the Thistles picture-and General Paine
has decided not to spar his new steel cup defender
any more heavily than last years winner For the
sake OF comparison, some of tho other dimensions
of the May1ower are given here Length on water
line. $50 feet over all. 100 feet; extreme breadth
of beam, 235 feet; mast, deck TO hounds 62 feet;
tOpmaSt, ~ Iecti DooIl, on iccAi k'h' ~" i"N''
bowsprit cupboard, 80 feet.
correspondent Of the Same paper which prints
the cut, writes that lac obtained permission from
the owners to look over the Thistle while she was
at anchor off Gourock -on-the-clyde, but uDfortu-
nately he failed TO bring away any of the informa-
ton which is most wanted on this side OF the At
lantic. lie dlscoursed at length on tho enormous
size Of her spars. but said L word as to her
oI,0 liar EonI hut
did not enlighten his readers as to her drauGht;
and he spoke of her clouds OF canvas, without Civ
ing an mixing as to how much there was of it. lie
did however describe her deck and cabin, and his
words arc reproduced hero
Owing to her great breadth her decks arc Of
very roomy. which will DO greatly 10 the advantage OF
the crow on racing day inc P'aaKias Of ihem Is %i
both tho wood OF tho highest order OF excellence
nnl.hod with nent rail OF lno The skvllghts and
companions OF teak wood and neat aud service
able they oog Tho main saloon Is exceptionally large
aui h TO chcd by neat mahogany star with teak hand
rails. This apartment Is lighted by skyght. In the
glass OF which tho thistle Ia neatly introduced orna
mentatou Tho cap tails OF the past9rs OF the woodwork
Of tho sides OF the saloon arc also ehreae1 Win earnSs
Moreover. might mention In TIL. connection that no
tced a days ago that tho blackboard OF the yachts
L,autlful Gig was enriched with neatly thistle
shield Again the breasts OF the jersey rocks OF IN crow
Inc initials OF the Royal clyde Yacht Club. Me,srs GoAg
& Co ounticrs Iarges. who have already boon spoken
A. Returning 10 the thistle: The ladies' cabin Is done
ia nno yellow pino aud toak woods, and It's iEngs aud
cabin is on .arhoad side and contiguous 10 the fore
castle. and Is ed up in the usnal way ON me opposite
side Of the ship Is We panty ACCOMMODATION anu INC
quarters Of the mate ana steward
While all accounts agree IN saying that tho This
tie shows groat speed III all kinds of weather some
of them credit her with such wonderful swIftness
that If thOy wcrc worthy of belief all
hope Of retaining the much-covctod
Americas Cup on this side of tho pond would
have boon given up long ago. Ono dispatch In do-
scrbng her performances on hor trial sail. said
that she carried a full spread Of racing canvas in
half gale of wind and stood up under 1t 30 well
that her designer had concluded to largely increase
her sail area Her speed for two hours said to
have exceeded fifteen knots an hour and IL was
predicted that she would do even better than that
Under moro favorable circumst anccS III that Is
true then tho Scotchmen may congratulate them
selves that they have built the boat that will win
tLe cup aud American yachtsnen may as we'll be-
gin TO content themselves with the small consola-
ton that the broad beam borrowed from the " Yam
kec sIoop style OF construction Is. or VIII be- trl-
umphant Ihorc is no snglo-stickcr in American
waters e'ghty-yc feot long on the water,line that
can sail fifteen knots an hour. General Paine's
new boat may DO capable OF doing even better than
that; but he docs not expect her TO be snch n pine
nomenon-in fact does not think th h
Mayhowcr, which might possibly go thirteen knots
an hour ii everything was to her liking. but IS
looked upon as Jogging alOuB NJ pIellJ Boou Bdit
Woen she logs twelve knots
In contradiction of the report that the Thistles
power was 10 be increased comes another later ana
anparently more trustworthy one stating that the
enormous pressure of canvas had been found to be
more than the hull could comfortably support, and
that four tons of ballast have been put in the
Yacht since her trial, two IONS being added after
the first sail to Farlce and two tons the day she
started for Harwck and the Thames.
The yaohtsmen Of Halifax. Nova Scotia, are EVIL
IDENTIFY extremely anxious That the members OF tho
New-York Yacht Club shonld come here and assist
them IN celebrating the Queens Jubilee. They are
holding out all sorts OF INDUCEMENTS in the way of
valuable prizes for races and tho freedom of the
toWn and 90 40 far as 10 offer TO allow guests 10
name the dates aud conditions of the contests, and
10 sail them under their rules. The Mayor OF
Halifax, in the name Of he citizens, has extended
a cordial invitation to the NewYOrk CLUB 10 extend
tlnir rrnian IN TINT naca md has pTnmlRed them